OUR STORY
Laughing together, on stage and off.
We trace our roots back to humble beginnings in the vibrant heart of New York City. It all started when Founder & President Dan Dumsha, residing in the downtown east side with his husband Jon, found himself immersed in the city's creative energy.
Fueled by his passion for improvisational theater, Dan launched the acclaimed Dirty Little Secrets Improv Show. One night, one of Jon's colleagues attended the show and recognized the potential of applying improv techniques to support Parkinson's patients. This sparked a collaboration, marking the inception of our journey. Through workshops at Mount Sinai Hospital, we witnessed firsthand the transformative power of improv beyond the stage, igniting a mission to extend its benefits to diverse communities.
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Upon returning to Vancouver, British Columbia, our commitment to using improv to inspire wellness deepened. Collaborating first with Vancouver TheatreSports and the Improv Comedy Institute, and later built within Tightrope Impro Theatre, we expanded our programs beyond Parkinson's, embracing initiatives like The UnBlockables for people who stutter, Weekly Dose of Laugher for Alzheimer's folks and caregivers, and Improv for Brain Health at the University of British Columbia.
Our Improv for Work programs draw on Dan's extensive 15 year corporate leadership experience as a trusted Executive Coach, Senior Consultant, Keynote Speaker, Facilitator, and Head of Talent Development. Dan built and led the integration of custom improv training for the workplace with Tightrope Theatre from 2020-2023. This venture unearthed a profound realization: the invaluable role of improv to boost confidence in effective communication, innovation, and team cohesion in professional settings.
Driven by this insight and fueled by collaborations spanning Vancouver and New York City, Improv For Work & Wellness emerged as an independent entity in January 2024 with Improv for Wellness being established as a not-for-profit society. All programs and coaching delivered through Improv for Work help support the administration and delivery of our Improv for Wellness programs.
Now that we've shared our story, let's hear YOURS!
OUR
TEAM
Aamir Khan
Facilitator
Ambika Vaas
Facilitator
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Arne Johansen
Facilitator
Brent Hirose
Facilitator
Briana Rayner
Coach & Facilitator
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Brenda Landry
Coach & Facilitator
Caitlin Maira
Facilitator
Dan Dumsha
President & Founder
Clara Kluge
Facilitator
Delaney Gilmour
Programs Coordinator
Dr. Jonathan Squires
Wellness Medical Advisor
Diana Pavlovská
Coach & Facilitator
Kristen Seer
Facilitator
Megan Dunlop
Facilitator
Melissa Ferraro
Facilitator
Larry Gifford
Facilitator
Monice Peter
Facilitator
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John Voth
Facilitator
Peter Jarvis
Wellness Society Board
Quinn Contini
Facilitator
Rachelle Younie
Facilitator
Rosemary Morrison
Manager, Improv for Wellness
Sarah Dawn Pledge
Facilitator
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Facilitator
Stephen Sheffer
Facilitator
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Tej Singh Hazra
Coach & Facilitator
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Taylor Montalbetti
Facilitator
Victoria Souter
Director, Improv for Work
OUR ALUMNi:
Avi Solis, Margot Escott, Rick Horner, Rupert Hudson
OUR VALUES
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Kindness
Improv starts with noticing, supporting, and responding to others. Kindness is the foundation of our work: it shapes the way we communicate, coach, and lead. When we approach colleagues, clients, and participants with genuine care, we create an environment where everyone feels safe to take risks, share ideas, and show up fully.
Patience
Growth—whether in a team, a community, or within ourselves—takes time. Mistakes aren’t setbacks—they’re opportunities. Patience helps us embrace the process, stay resilient, and encourage others to do the same. We go at the pace of fun.
Collaboration
No one succeeds alone. Every “yes, and” in improv builds on someone else’s idea. Collaboration is how we design programs, solve challenges, and celebrate collective creativity. It’s about listening deeply, co-creating solutions, and compromise.
Service
Our work is about impact. Service reminds us to ask: how can we make a difference for others today? For the teams we train, the communities we touch, and every individual who joins us, service is our north star. We are in service of this work.
These values aren’t just words, they’re lived every day at IFWW. They guide our workshops, coaching, and leadership. And they define our mission: to connect, to create, and to empower people through improv.